


The Hidden red eye

by Chocolatesandblood



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: F/M, Watchdog missions, may include the 2C, our!Ciel - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-10
Updated: 2018-11-10
Packaged: 2019-08-21 14:25:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16578224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chocolatesandblood/pseuds/Chocolatesandblood
Summary: Death of Ciel Phantomhive brought a huge impact on everyone’s lives that involves in him. Especially to Lizzy. Demon Ciel now seeks greedy souls to devour and roam around the world until he first consumes a soul. But 2 years after his “death”, Lizzy will be renowned as the new queen’s watchdog and everything will have a different turn when they suddenly meet each other.Seek answers as they open the doors that separate them and wishes that will once be granted. Let themselves explore the lies behind the name “queen’s watchdog” and the truth behind the identity of “Ciel Phantomhive”





	1. His fiancee, ready

_Elizabeth bents her head down with her golden hair falling to cover her dreary and lifeless face. Her face and body undoubtedly aged for only a short period of time of two days since his death was announced. The third time she’s going to attend a solemn funeral where you can wear nothing but black, the hair should be down and loose, your eyes should be filled with anything but happiness and joy. Ciel is the whole reason for her existence. He is the reason why she smiles and laughs and why she continues enhancing her skills in swords and fight gracefully. As long as she can be sure she can protect him when the time comes no matter how uncute it is for a proper and dignified lady, she told to herself that time, it is okay.. She silently pledges, unbeknownst to him, that she will live only for him and die only for him. Mother always see to it that she’ll be dedicated to her fiancé no matter what and promise an undying loyalty and devotion to him even if the world turns their backs against him._

_But now that he’s dead, what is the reason for her to continue on living this worthless and meaningless life where Ciel isn’t part of anymore? She lives to protect him but she had failed to do so. She failed once, and she him failed again for the second time._

_It wasn’t all the reason for her grieving. If only she cries because she failed to do her duty or her task. If only she cries because she wasn’t able to protect him. If only she cries because she broke an oath from him._

_Elizabeth cries because she had loved him. Her fiancé, her cousin and her best friend, she loves him with all her heart and soul but now he’s gone. For the second time._

_The carriage they were riding was filled with silence and mourning._

_Her brother Edward who was sitting calmly beside her with a trace of sadness –for the death of his cousin and for his little sister he abandoned –from his eyes took Lizzy’s hand from her lap and squeezed it a bit, trying to cheer her and himself up before letting it go and stares back outside. The sun is setting and it would have been very beautiful for Lizzy if today wasn’t a day her heart hold an exceeding amount of sorrow and misery. It made even the sun lose its radiance._

_She slowly raises her head and her eyes met her mother’s, sitting straightly with her parasol gripping on her hand. Her eyes were covered by a dark veil in half of her face hiding the emotions and exression it held. Cruel as it sounds, Lizzie had thought that her mother wouldn’t even dare shed a tear on her nephew’s funeral. She had been right. Francis Midford is not heartless but at the same time, she wasn’t the type to reveal her inner emotions and feelings to other people. She wouldn’t break down, no matter how heavy the situation is. She is a real model of a respectable wife and mother._

_Lizzie’s father is the opposite of her mother. He is crying, very unlikely for a strong man such as his father. His tearful eyes is covered from both of his palms. He was leaning with his elbows resting on his lap. He weeps with muffled cries._

_“Elizabeth,” Her mother said with a  stern voice that Lizzie can’t comprehend if she’s even mourning “We’re almost there. Please try to behave yourself there” warned her mother as if they are going to a party and not to a funeral. Edward ducks his head outside and saw the distance chapel._

_When the carriage stopped, none of them dares to move nor even breath before the footman opened the door and assisted them. Lizzie’s dress felt heavy on her body as she steps out of the carriage, her lips trembling for a cry and her hands quivering of fear and bit of hope._

_Even the chapel was dimly lit, silently screaming the unjustice death of a child from its hallway. Elizabeth was holding Edward’s arm as her footsteps slowly getting near it._

_Edward left her in the middle to join their family sitting on the front chairs. Francis had opened her fan to cover her mouth with her veil hiding her eyes and concealing her whole face. His father is silent and weeping. Her mind is completely clouded with thoughts and impossible wishes before being able to see her fiancé’s cold corpse. And she walks to reach his coffin._

_For a second, her mind went blank and completely frozen.  For that second, there was nothing on her mind, nothing except darkness. All her senses stopped functioning and her heart was throbbing against her chest. The feeling of wanting to collapse and die for a moment filled her thoughts. The last time he attended her funeral, his corpse wasn’t there and still missing. When everything sank in on her mind, Lizzie let out a sharp cry of pain as her eyes stared at the boy sleeping peacefully in the coffin. That everyone except the Phantomhive servants, who were standing on the back of the church, turns their head on the Midford golden girl. No one protests nor reprimanded her for being so shameful and indelicate for no one had been that close to the earl, no one has ever been really close enough to cry and weep for him from their hearts. No one has ever been close to him to really know who he really is behind the heavy title. No one except Lizzy._

_The coffin was slowly pulled underground. It was very deep and Lizzie had the small urge to jump down and join her fiancé until she ran out of the air and die. The hold of his brother on her hands was the only thing that keeps her away from killing herself. They threw roses and Elizabeth gasps a cry before throwing the biggest and most unique flower –a sterling silver rose. His favorite. Along with it, she throws her handkerchief with the first letter of his name weaved in it. The same handkerchief she should have given to him on his tenth birthday if he wasn’t reported dead._

_Her heart wasn’t empty when he left, it was just a hole not empty. Like a bullet fired her heart and left a big hole in it that no one could ever repair._

_And Ciel died leaving his throne vacant._

\---

Lizzie had found it hard to balance herself from the rattling of their carriage and fixes her seat again for the nth time. Phantomhive estate really had a rocky road to pass, she remembers. Paula sat beside her, tending to whatever wish she would give her. Lizzie looks outside of the carriage’s window and the familiar gust of the wind and the nostalgic feeling made her strangely comfortable. Twenty-one months. Twenty-one long months.

She doubts herself if she really left her home. Or she’s just coming back now because this is the place her heart had always longed to be. She taps her parasol impatiently. She’s almost near. Just a mile ahead and she’s _back_.

Elizabeth wasn’t sure what she really felt, going back to the manor she had tried her best not to visit for a lot of months since his death. She feels thousands of emotions now, the emotions she thought she had lost were just kept in here. There was excitement –to see how it’s been and the servants taking of it –scared, she is scared that it might be abandoned by now. But most of it was excitement.

She still remembers the few servants of the mansion. Finny, the youngest one and the gardener, Mey-rin, the only girl and the maid, and Bard, their cook. Finny was the sweetest, almost innocently smiling but his eyes, she unconsciously remarked that time, is brave and firm just like her mother. While Mey-rin, Elizabeth is sure that her eyes are sharp as a knife behind those glasses. She finds it cute about Mey-rin's infatuation towards Sebastian and how she gets a bit excited about her arrival, probably because she barely sees another girl with a house full of men. Last is Bard who somehow she notices gets a bit surprise by her childish and girly demands but was never annoyed though sometimes irritated. But he respects her as Ciel’s fiancée and finds her ridiculous to all her girlishness.

Then Tanaka. How was that old caring old man she always misses a lot? Her mother once asked Tanaka that since the Phantomhives are now all dead, he could serve the Midfords now but he refuses. Insisting that he would like to die in the manor as a loyal butler. He had turned eighty-one last two months but she wasn’t able to pay a visit for she was in Italy that time with Edward and Paula.

The carriage stopped. She reached out her hand and Paula happily took it assisting her down.

Lizzie raises her golden head, the wind brushes her ear and she saw, with her big emerald eyes, the Phantomhive manor standing might under the bright summer sun. The trees and flowers planted are all fresh and new. The walls are still hard and old despite the tragedies it had faced over the centuries. She took a step forward and her sandaled feet felt the cold and even ground. How nostalgic it is to finally return to the manor she never visits for the past two years.

Paula softly knocks the huge doors.

“Milady!” The doors were opened by a lady with red hair who immediately exclaimed upon her arrival

“Mey-rin…” said Lizzy and the maid looks at her with apologetic eyes behind those big glasses

“I’m very sorry… we were fixing the house right now, we thought you’re-”

“It’s fine. How are all of you?” Lizzie hands Paula her parasol “Is the mansion still whole?”

The maid blushes “O-of course!”

She took a heavy step to inside the mansion. The air, the vibrant… it’s all familiar. Indeed, this is the Phantomhive manor. The manor where she and her cousins had played back in the old days

“Then that’s an enough good news” She is quite aware about the incompetence of all the Phantomhive servants when it comes to household duty but perform a very good job at protecting it. “Let’s see… where are the others?”

“Eh… eh” Mey-rin panics. Still the same as ever, always nervous “Bard’s trying to prepare an afternoon meal and Finny is trying to grow the plants. Snake is helping him. I’ll call them…”

“No, no need” said Elizabeth. And oh, Snake. She remembers him now. The young man with odd skin of snake but no one ever cared about that. He is a silent man who speaks for his snakes and barely let out a word of his own. She heads towards the dining room and gives Mey-rin a sweet appreciative smile. “Are there other news?”

The maid looked down for a second before looking at her again and held her hands together “M-Mr. Tanaka’s been sick lately, young lady. I thought you should need to know”

Lizzie frowned at the information “Sick?”

“Yes. We brought him to the nearest hospital last month but the doctor said it was just because he was getting old. He is resting there now”

“I see…” There was a thump from her heart. She is very close to the old former butler that she had thought of him as her own father too. Paula held her right hand trying to soothe her down

 “U-um I’m gonna prepare the dishes!” Mey-rin took a nervous bow and come running for the kitchen.

“Let’s just visit Mr. Tanaka tomorrow,” Paula said and pulled a chair for her “But firstly, you should eat first. The travel has been tiring, don’t you think so? The queen’s watchdog shouldn’t be exhausting herself. I’m gonna prepare a hot tea”

She sat down and watches Paula leaves and head for the kitchen too. She is right. Lizzie felt her tiredness and energy dripping from her as soon as she rests herself on the chair. She sighs for the second time and Paula came running towards her carrying a heavy tray of a teapot, teacup and some biscuits.

Paula settles them to the dining table. She first held the teapot and picked the cup and pours the tea in it. “Here, milady”

It was tasteful and nice but nothing would ever meet Sebastian’s tea. He makes the yummiest tea her lips ever tasted but sadly, that butler was never found ever since her fiancé died.

“Thank you, Paula”

“Do you need anything more, Lady Elizabeth”

“It’s Lizzy, Paula. And yes, please fetch Mey-rin for me and tell her how is the lunch. I’m getting a bit hungry”

“Of course” the maid left again.

Lizzy trails her eyes around the room. The table and chairs are cleaned. The servants made a good job polishing the floor tiles that not even a trace of dirt could be seen. It was just like she was here yesterday. Being welcomed by Ciel and she would suffocate him with her embrace until he ran out of breath. She bothers him all day but will say nothing about it, and instead, he will entertain her. Sebastian will stay away unless called but will quickly aid when something goes wrong while they’re together. The servants all have their guards up in case she does something funny to them again like painting them with pink or decorating them with girly stuff. 

Ciel is surely in the heaven now. Finally, happy.        

Soon after, Mey-rin is back with Bard and they’re carrying a tray full of meals. Bard look at her with wide eyes that she almost giggled ‘He must have been thinking I would decorate this mansion full of pink after a few seconds’

“Good Afternoon, Bard” she greeted

The chef was quite surprised and fixes his eye to her before turning away “Yeah same I guess” he scratches the back of his neck “Enjoy the meal, Lady Elizabeth” he bows.

“Well then, thank you. After this, I shall rest in the bedroom” Lizzie gestures to Paula and her personal maid nods immediately. “Now, let me taste the Phantomhive food made by the great chef of the manor”

Mey-rin stays silent and if Lizzy wasn’t there Mey-rin will either burst out hysterically laughing on the floor or going to puke at the compliments that are obviously unsuited him. Bard remained silent but he looks like he is about to cry that the lady his going to serve now expects too much of him.

“This is good,” she remarked at her first taste of spoonful. Of course, the food has a taste any peasants or a non-skilled mother would cook but for Bard who always make his foods non-edible, this is the best one yet. Although two years have been a long way for him.

“I am honored. I am a Phantomhive chef, aren’t I?” He proudly said. She glances to him and he’s still clearly dazed at the compliment that she let out a soft chuckle. Elizabeth can’t hide her happiness, knowing that the servants are still here and taking care of the mansion their former young master assigned for them.

Elizabeth wipes her mouth after eating and went out for the garden to breath in some fresh air for a moment before she retires. The garden was beautiful as it had always been since then and she is more than glad that the Phantomhive servants had at least kept the flowers blooming here. The roses –especially the red roses –are blooming now in the start of June. The pink marguerites, her favorite type of flower is present too and not completely forgotten, growing freshly with its numerous petals.

“Is that Lady Elizabeth?”

Hearing the sound of her name, Lizzie turns her head towards his direction. It was Finny, the Phantomhive gardener with distinct German features. Finny’s index finger is pointed towards her and Snake gently slapped it away.

“You shouldn’t point to people… says Goethe”

“Lady Elizabeth?” asked Finny, rubbing his eyes “I thought you would arrive tomorrow?”

Elizabeth tries her best to smile “I really planned to arrive tomorrow but my mother kept insisting me to come today and check the mansion”

“How rude of us not to greet you!” Finny’s watering can is held in a wrong way that the water is dripping from it.

“Oh, it’s okay! It’s my fault not to announce my presence earlier” Elizabeth turns “And Finny, the water is dripping”

Finny seems to realize his fault immediately “Oh!” the gardener fixed it beamingly.

The servants gave her an acknowledge bow before she left the garden to head for the fencing room. She is scared to be honest, the sound of the echoing tiles while she walks is enough for her trauma to come back. After Ciel’s death, Elizabeth had never visited this mansion nor even pass by it. She even refuses to go the cemetery where his corpse lied. She can only remember the last time they last met and it was their last dance.

Lizzie pushed the door open. The door creaked and she let herself in. It was still the same, not even the chairs nor the tables were moved. The fencing swords hang on the walls unused. This is –although filled with not-so-good memories –where most of the unforgettable memories happened and those memories that shaped her. This was where Ciel told her that he is scared of strong women and where Ciel and Elizabeth first fought.

_“I’ve had enough of it Lizzy!” said Ciel stomping his little feet. His eyes were filled with rage and displeasure._

_Lizzy was taken aback for a moment. She fidgets with her fingers impatiently and tried to pursue his stubborn cousin a little more.“Mother said your study is today!”_

_“I told you I don’t want to!”_

_“But Ciel–”_

_“Shut up!”_

_She turned quiet. Her eyes were tearful enough but Ciel turned his back on her without a regret. Elizabeth’s bottom lip was quivering and she grabs Ciel from behind and bit his hand. She felt her teeth sinking into his soft arm out of her anger and Ciel let out a sharp yell of pain as he pushes Lizzie away._

_Ciel looks at his wound and gave Lizzy an angry stare “I hate you! I hate you! I hate–”_

_“I hate you too!”_

That was their first fight before their engagement was announced. They were only five-year-olds that time but the voice of their parents scolding them for the childish and silly fight is still fresh as new. Ciel was scolded for pushing and yelling at Lizzy while Lizzy was scolded for biting her cousin. She felt sorry about it though, unlike Ciel.

She can still hear the clashing of swords, _Ciel’s_ whines, _her_ whines, _her_ cries and everything that happened in this _place_. Then she remembers her nightmare again… the terrifying voices and Ciel’s sudden change of eye, Edward’s killing everyone and Ciel… yes, she got a nightmare about Ciel that he died already six years ago and he didn’t survive the fire. That all this time she’s just hallucinating and everything was just a dream. She would always wake up, panting or screaming Ciel’s name then after five minutes of calming herself she would be fine again like nothing happens though it hunts her every single night.

“Milady, you’re here” Paula said opening the door “I fixed your room”

Lizzy turns her head, a smile fixed on her face like she always did for the past few years “Alright, I’m going”.

\---

 

Every one gathers, all of different species of demons. From nobles to those of lowly life. All for the celebration of the day the crowned king will choose an another noble to add to the list.

“Are you having fun, Ciel?” a lady step towards a man with greyish blue hair and sapphire eyes. His features are undoubtedly attractive even for demon’s standards.

“Sure” he turns away.

“You still won’t choose a bride after all this years? Remember, having a mate would certainly make you stronger and you can go up in ranks. You are still aging Ciel” she bats him an eyelash and winks. Her black hair tying loosely behind and her dress beautifully shaped her hour glass body that no one would even think of rejecting her.

“That can surely wait” Ciel said, paying no attention to her flirtatious stares. Her eyes changed from violet one to bloody red.

“But I can’t wait” she pouted. “You know…” She leaned towards him “there’s a rumor going around you have been in love to a human girl that’s why you never pick anyone for a bride even though you are an earl.”

Ciel lowered his glare to her. The girl surprisingly backed out upon seeing his furious eye “whoever is spreading that rumor is a fool”

The lady smiled sweetly “he sure is” and she leaves, gracefully walking away and heading towards the drinks

Ciel sat in one of the sofas and watches the dancing demons with bored eyes. The lady is right, his body still age. And now he is a 15-year-old teenager with short blue hair and a height that never seems to grow.

“As expected, you display of an another sour look” He didn’t have to glance behind for he knew well of the familiar voice

“Sebastian” he called indifferently.

“My lord, how is the party?” the butler asked amusingly but not dressed in his signature butler clothes. He stands in high social standing being a duke of hell though he serves someone with lower rank.

“Boring, as you had deducted”

Sebastian chuckled “I see”

_‘In love to a human girl, huh’_ Ciel thought.  He reaches out his hands “Sebastian, wine”


	2. Her fiancé, returned

The London streets and pathways are always crowded with people. All hurrying for something or to somewhere. Men with business attires who gripped on their suitcases as if it is their soul with their face as grim as it can be. There are children with smeared and dirty clothes who shows their palm to anyone who walks pass them and silently begged for some money or food scraps but no one would even glance down.

Behind the shadows of rushing London people with Sebastian trailing after him, Ciel wears a middle class dress and a cane on his right hand.

“It’s in an abandoned village just near south-east?” said Ciel and inclined his head a bit to Sebastian.

“Yes” answered the butler and his hands are behind his back.

Their relationship is like a mutualism. One benefits and one gains from it although it was just a pity from Ciel’s side (how funny it is when knowing that he is a _demon_ ). Ciel would help Sebastian eat and serve him souls at the same time, would continue his job as his butler, as the contract. It will always be like that. And maybe even for eternity.

\---

Elizabeth cannot see anything but darkness. She could feel the cold hard tiles beneath her bare feet. It was lonely, no trace of life or companion. She endures the drying of her throat and her voiceless screams.

“Lizzy” suddenly, a voice called. She grasped for the voice and tried to run towards it but she never seems to bump any human being no matter where she runs.

“Where are you?!” she cried. Tears streaming down her cheeks “Help me!”

“Lizzy, it’s me”

That voice… she recognizes them. It was the voice of her beloved Ciel. The one she loves the most.

Then the whole place lit. She is standing in a small room now and she wonders why she didn’t hit any wall a while ago in this narrow place. She stares at the boy in front of her. His stomach stabbed and the blood is pouring out of it, especially from his mouth.

“Do you remember me, Lizzy?” the boy asked. A younger version of Ciel. The ten-year-old Ciel.

“C-Ciel…” she murmurs as she stares down at the deep hole in his stomach “What are you…”

“Elizabeth” a new voice called. This time, the voice is much older and more familiar. His voice stern and authoritative unlike the pitiful and sad voice she heard earlier. But both can only belong to one person.

Lizzie slowly turn around for the voice came from behind. It was that boy. Her fiancé.

“It’s you…” she covers her mouth. He is now a 13-year-old boy with his right eye covered in eyepatch. He wears a high class noble clothes and his long coat hanging around his very delicate shoulders. She is the boy she remembers from her memories.

He stayed silent, not letting out any word. But then, a red eye flashes before her eyes. Ciel is in front of her, his eye is colored blood red. Slowly, his body turned into a monster. Fangs and horn grew in him. The color of his skin turned black. Within a second, the Ciel she knew is gone. Her body trembles as the monster stares down at her and smiled

“Do you still know me, Lizzy?”

“Ciel!” Her eyes opened widely. Then she’s now inside her room. Her arms reaching upwards, gasping in the air and her mouth gape open. She feels her chest throbbing and her head spinning.

_It was only a dream…_

“My lady!” Lizzie suddenly notice Mey-rin stumbling towards her carrying a heavy laundry on both of her arms “I heard you scream, are you okay?”. By the things she is carrying it looks like Mey-rin was just done fixing Elizabeth’s wardrobe and bathroom. Her hair is dripping wet and Lizzie can’t help herself but to upturn the corner of her lips.

“I’m fine” Although Lizzie’s hard breathing and heavy sweating suggest otherwise “Are your eye glasses still alright? I notice you are quite…” she points to her wet hair and the wound on the arm “today…” Elizabeth tries to extend her arm forward to touch her glasses but the maid step backward avoiding her.

“Oh no, it’s still sharp!” the maid holds her eye glasses with both of hands and made a distance from Lizzie “You don’t have to worry, young lady! You have lots to do-”

“But-!”

“It’s young master Ciel’s last gift…” she spoke softly and looks down shyly, regretting back her choice of words. “But I didn’t mean- I-”

Lizzy realizes that Ciel really cares for his servants that he would go beyond the boundary of buying them their own things. And while it’s been a lot of years since she last heard his name from other people’s mouth because not even her own family would dare speak his name, it still feels as if it was only yesterday since she last heard of it

“Alright… Mey-rin, please call Paula for me…”

“O-of course!” the maid immediately nodded and bowed before dashing outside and even some of the laundry fell from her arms but tried to pick them up hurriedly. As soon as Lizzie knew that her clumsy maid is gone, she sat up on her bed and sigh.

_It’s been five days since then and there is still no any news from her Majesty. Does she even know I’m the queen’s watchdog?_

Lizzie’s mother made sure to send a letter to the queen that she now moved to the Phantomhive manor. She remembers the presence of the queen’s private secretaries (they have the same first name and they are known to be double Charles with odd color of hair) in their manor to messaged them (more likely to remind) about her 16th birthday.

Minutes after, Paula enters her room. Her maid fixes her hair and tied to a ponytail then Paula baths Lizzy and dress her up.

Elizabeth was sipping her tea when she turns to Paula standing beside her. “Today, I want to go somewhere” 

Paula was quick to nod “Alright, I must prepare the carriage–”

“No. I want to go alone, Paula”

The maid stares at her helplessly and worriedly. “It’s dangerous, milady”

Swiftly, Lizzie pulls the needle hidden underneath her pillow. She weighed it on her fingers and examine its sharpness. “This has poison. I can take care of myself”

 “What if there would be an ambush, you can’t fight with a lot of men. At least take someone with you” begged Paula

Lizzie chuckled a little and hides the long needle inside her hair “I won’t be that far”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. I promise”

But of course, Lizzie isn’t known be the type to keep with her promises most of the time and that she is still reckless. She ate her breakfast first, (this time, Snake cooked it. The guy has talent) then she dressed herself for the horse riding and they went to the stable. Surprisingly enough, there are still horses and Lizzie even recognized some of them. She visited this manor many times before and would always found herself exploring the stable where the horses are in. It was one of her favorite places in the manor as she remembers here the time Ciel protectively hugged her and protect her with his body when a bear attempted to hurt her. The black horse was also there; it was Ciel’s favorite.

She opens the stall of that horse and place the head collar rope to him. She didn’t want to inflict any pain to the horse so Lizzie made sure to tie it loosely on him and led him outside.

 The doubt and worry didn’t leave Paula’s eyes even as she watches Lizzie ride on her horse’s back. Paula knows that if her lady decides on something, no one can change her mind

“Let’s go!” Lizzie said with full of energy. The horse yanked a bit and ran its feet. It just ran towards the exit of the whole Phantomhive domain, towards the forest of trees.

It’s been a while since Lizzie last rode a horse but she can still feel the same excitement and happiness like ever. The dream she had earlier didn’t leave her mind. It keeps on coming back to her, especially Ciel’s beastly face.

_Demon_

The horse recoiled and she fell from its back. Fortunately, she just landed herself to a grass and not anything hard.  The horse seems to be apologetic and leans its head towards her.

“I’m fine, I’m fine. What was the for?” the horse didn’t answer so she just sits again on its back.

The Phantomhive manor is located in the outskirts of London and behind a forest. She never understood, back when she was just little child, why it has to be hidden. She understood now. Lizzie pulls her horse’s leash and turns around. From here, she can see the far manor and its wide area. It was a bit of mystery how it was rebuilt easily when Ciel came back and no one would answer her to her unending questions. 

She continually walks her horse up to the main road. Although she promised that she won’t be far, she can’t help herself but to go to somewhere distance from that manor.

“I don’t know what Ciel calls you” Lizzie said to her horse “but I’m going to name you Twilight” the name has a bitter taste on her lips. It was what Ciel named to their former stuffed toy back when they were just children.

There are no any carriages on the road maybe because it was still too early on the morning or this path just barely carry sings of life. On the road, while Lizzy rides on Twilight’s back, saw two middle aged women walking together carrying basket of goods and are chattering under their breath. Lizzie passed by them and accidentally heard their conversation.

“You saw it too right? He really looks like him” the first woman said. The conversation sounds like a gossip so Lizzie decided to just ignore them and carry on

“His eye and rare greyish blue hair, it really is the dead earl!”

Her heart thumped. Dead earl? It can’t be him. Surely, they are talking about other things and that she just misinterpreted it. Noble deaths are not that rare, after all.

_‘Blue eye and greyish blue hair’_

Impossible to have someone who looked like him. And of course, the death of the earl Phantomhive would rang in the ears of every British people and his name will always be recognized by anyone. But not his face. Only the chosen few knew the face behind the earl of Phantomhive.

Lizzie pulled Twilight and stop in front of the two women “Excuse me, I don’t mean to barge in but what did you mean by ‘dead earl’?”

The women yelp a bit at the sight of her but when a recognition hits both of them they nearly cried “It’s Lady Elizabeth!”

“Please answer my question”

The two women look at each other and the second woman spoke “it’s the earl of Phantomhive, my lady”

Lizzie felt her senses freezing and her knees shaking. Her chest is tightening and felt again the nausea building from her stomach as she choked on the words “What? _What?”_

“We saw a blue haired man with an eyepatch a little earlier” said the first woman “Walking towards here in luxurious carriage. He is only a little older, but we’re sure he looks like the earl”

“Stop talking nonsense!”

 “We are not lying, milady” the woman said again

“Where did you see him?”

“There” the first woman pointed to the road behind Lizzie “we passed by him a while ago. He stopped midway and I think because his carriage hit a stone”

She turns around and saw the sun rising. She looked back to the two woman and thanked them before climbing up Twilight’s back and without a second thought, went to the direction the women said. Everything seems to blur as she passes them, the horse is running fast and the dream she had is haunting her, she wanted to scream as her heart beats fast. Her hands are trembling on Twilight’s leash. She doesn’t want to believe that he might be Ciel yet she’s running desperately towards where he might be.  Now she realized why the women know his face. Because by the time of his death, his every picture is released to the whole England and everyone started to pity the young man instead of admiring him (Lizzy began to hate those people just like she did to people who might have killed him).

A carriage passes by her and even it was only a millisecond, she got to glance at its windows and she caught a streak of blue hair. She wanted to see who that man is. She quickly turns Twilight around to follow the carriage’s direction but it was running very fast. It has three horses. She tries to make Twilight run faster to catch up with the carriage.

_Faster faster faster_

The road never seemed to end and the carriage never stop and she never even get the chance to be a meter a part from it. She is getting farther every second and she is slowly losing hope. She tugs Twilight one more time to make him faster but he yanked and kick the air and she fell from his back.

She fell backwards and the only good thing is that she didn’t hit her head. The pain on her back worsened than it already is when she stumbled a little earlier. Her clothes are all dirty and rugged. Her hair that she tied to a ponytail is now loose on her shoulders. Her body is covered of dirt and mud. And for the first time since god knows when, she wanted to cry.

She watches the carriage who is now nearly fading to distance

“CIEL!” she cried and tears began streaming down her face. Her face all wet and smudge but she didn’t care. She had stopped caring anyway.

The carriage stopped. It was a blonde old man who come off in black formal suit with a jacket folded on his arms. He walks towards her and kindly smiled at her helpless appearance

“Are you okay, miss?” the man asked and forward his arms to help her stand up. She grabs his hand and stood up. Lizzie remains silent and dumbfounded. Maybe she is starting to feel ashamed at her current state.

 “I’m sorry I can’t help you more than this. You see, my master and I are in a hurry so we must go” the old man smiled again and somehow Lizzie suddenly reminds him of someone. He wraps the jacket around her shoulders and bowed before turning around to bow.

“Wait!” Lizzie called “Who are you?”

He smiled and for a second she though he is someone she knew. Knew for a very long time

“I am just one hell of a butler” he bowed with a hand on his chest and turns away.  Before she can call him again and ask his master’s name or thank the man, he is already in the carriage. The carriage moves again and she looked away from it. Twilight is sitting beside her tiredly and Lizzie felt regretting about hitting him a while ago. She let her horse rests before she gets back to the manor

\---

 

“What did you do?” Ciel asked with a frown.

“I gave her a jacket as you ordered” Sebastian replied and there’s still some evidence of blonde on his raven hair. He removed his masked face and smirked.

Ciel rest his elbow on the windowsill and rested his cheeks on the back of his palm. Sebastian glances at him and saw his master almost an eyelash away from smiling

 _‘How amusing’_ the butler thought as they went past the Phantomhive manor.


	3. His fiancée, unexpected

Another day of unending same things. The same to do, same to expect, same to say and same to think.  Ciel stretch out his arms and yawn. The sun is almost rising from his right and it’s blinding light is slowly making its way to his bedroom’s window.

“Good morning, young master” Sebastian greets as he opens the curtain and let in the light from the outside. Demons don’t sleep of course; they don’t require resting. But for Ciel who is still wasn’t able to eat a soul once, he is still half human. Sebastian bows at him “I hope you had a good evening”

Ciel yawns again in his plain white t-shirt. His both eyes are visible and so the seal drawn in it. “Where are we going today?” He rubbed his eye and if Sebastian still see him as his prey, he would have found him adorable.

“To a whorehouse”

Ciel nearly vomits on his own bed “To where?!”

Sebastian chuckled a bit but not in humorous way “To a whorehouse. A brothel. Or whatever you want to call it. I’ve been sensing it lately. Its scent is very delicious. There’s lot of tainted souls”

Ciel sat up and stares at Sebastian’s crimson eyes. Ciel felt sudden embarrass about his reaction. Going to a whorehouse isn’t the problem but going there with his butler. “Hm-hm” is all he can mutter.

Sebastian helped him tidy and dress up as usual morning routine. The butler ties the eyepatch around his head to hides his Faustian contract and then help him wear his clothes. Too expensive and luxurious dress can catch attention so he just wore a usual middle class clothing.

“Let’s go”

The butler follows his young master’s footsteps and they walk silently out of their old little mansion hidden on London streets.

Obviously frustrated at the rattling of their carriage, Ciel runs his fingers over his hair. The combination of over sleeping for the whole 3 months and a lack of sleep for two days seriously left him a head ache. He massages his temples and glance at Sebastian sitting in front of him. His red cold eyes straightly gaze at him and Ciel softly let out a growl, letting his anger out on Sebastian.

His young master really has a lot to worked on. No one would have thought that a demon brat who was once a mastermind for devious acts and the child prodigy who solves many cases the queen throws at him is the same person who is still can’t move on from his human life. Sebastian can’t help wonder what happened to the lives of the people formerly associated with his young lord. Surely one short visit won’t be a big deal.

\---

“Lady Elizabeth” called Lizzie’s personal maid, Paula, while holding a tray full of letters and standing on her bathroom door. She waits for Lizzy who is relaxingly lying on the bathtub “Invitations and messages”

Elizabeth nodded and gestures for her maid to come forward “I just want to read the messages. Invitations can wait” Paula compile the set of letters separated from another pile of letters with much more decorated envelopes. She picked it up and hands it over to Elizabeth’s waiting hand. Uncaring at her own drenched hand, Lizzy took the papers. After the maid hand it down to her, Paula bows before leaving and closes the door.

Lizzy ordered Paula that letters should only be delivered to her when she’s on bath. Reading is necessary when you are resting. One of her mother’s teachings too.

Elizabeth reads the letters one by one. She still remembers what her mother would always remind her. Read the letter. Pay attention to every details, there might be clues and codes. Lizzie can’t help being disturbed about it but she can’t blame her mother for being too paranoid either. She is trained to be a wife of an underground evil nobleman, knowing her mother that was once part of it until she marries outside the family. _“It’s okay overthinking”_ Her mother had told her _“Than to be lacking”_

The letters were mostly from his father’s distant relatives lately congratulating her. Their message is simple and lacks poetry. Ciel had always send her formal letters when he goes to various far missions and she would send him sweets and lavish gifts. Francis scolded her once that Ciel shouldn’t be disturbed but Lizzy was a persistent and reckless child who often disobeys her own mother.

Lizzy let out a soft chuckle at her own childishness before. Yet she wonders if she is already mature enough now to laugh at the thought at her childhood. She took out another letter. The seal has a curtain open wide, a crown hanging from above, and a symbol on the center. Lizzy rubs her eyes and she wasn’t wrong.

 _Queen Victoria_. Elizabeth’s feet slide from the bathtub.

Her mind starts racing with thoughts, the letter is already soaked with water now and is dripping wet. She checked its envelope. For the whole three days she’s in the manor, she barely does anything interesting. Following a carriage, for instance, was already an adventure for her. She can only eat, sleep, talk, eat, sleep and the cycle goes on. Lizzie was expecting something big when she took a step inside the Phantomhive manor for the first time in two years. But there wasn’t anything to look forward to, she realized.

Then there was a letter from the queen.

Shakily, she torn the envelope open (It was almost torn anyway, being wet and all) and took the clean white paper inside. Unlike the rest of the letters, she read the letter slower. Taking every sentence into account.

_To my little girl,_

‘Little girl?’ thought Lizzy ‘How funny’

_How are you? Oh, you might have thought I am such a cruel queen to suddenly make you leave your family and replace your dead fiancé’s position._

If Lizzy would be so honest to herself, there was always a part of her that despises the queen. From sending her fiancé she loved the most to dangerous missions while she seats on her throne elegantly to forcing Elizabeth to be her new watchdog is surely disgusting. But she can’t fully hate her anyway, her mother always tells her that the Queen’s orders should always be absolute and no one should disobey it.

_Don’t worry little one, I am not here to send you to dangerous mission yet_

Lizzy’s eyes are turning half closed. Reading her majesty’s letter is surely tiring. Not going to send to a mission? She thought that was the purpose of this whole thing.

_It was just a simple investigation. Surely, a watchdog fiancée can handle it? It’s not that I am degrading you but I was thinking that it might immediately shock you what a watchdog’s ‘mission’ really meant. But still, I trust you are fully aware of the matter._

_Now, if we move on to the topic, a local brothel is getting suspicious. A lot of girls are missing lately and they are all part or working on that brothel. I am very worried. Although they must have done sinful things, they are still my country’s children and some maybe even innocent too. The exact place of the brothel is in this letter too._

_Love, Queen Victoria._

Investigate about the deaths of prostitutes. Elizabeth thought. Just investigate. Using watchdog vocabulary, what does investigate even mean? Does it mean killing and stealing to require clues while bribing officers?

Lizzie played with the bubbles on her water blowing every one of them and watch them float around the room to pop within a millisecond. _Investigate_.

She stands up and grabs the nearest towel to wrap around her naked body. She walks towards her bed and sit there, thinking for a second. Her hair is dripping wet on the sheets of her master sized bed. Realizing she was sitting on the same bed Ciel was once used as his bed.

_Shut it Lizzy. You’ve been sleeping on this bed for the past few days._

Still, she can’t help the blood slowly rising on her face and the heating of her cheeks. Elizabeth Midford, the queen’s watchdog, is blushing because she slept on the same bed of her death fiancé.

Well, at least she still thinks she is already mature enough.

***

 

“Sebastian, what do you think you’re doing?!” chimed a furious Ciel. He dubiously peeked over the big hole underground and saw Sebastian in it, his body turning into some sort of an animal, a cat or a lion. He can’t make it out. “Get out of there, this instant!”

“But sir” said Sebastian, trailing his eyes in the whole place “She fell in here”

“Who?”

As soon as he asks the question, Ciel heard a sharp loud cry that sounded like-

Like a meow.

“A cat!” exclaimed Ciel preparing himself to climb down the hole and punch his butler at the stomach “For heaven’s sake, Sebastian!”

His butler wasn’t listening and proceed to follow the cat’s cries. They heard another meow of the cat and Sebastian, with his flushed cheeks and heart shaped eyes, followed his sweet lady. Ciel growls impatiently and waited. Couple of minutes had passed but there’s still no trace of his demon butler.

“Sebastian!” He called but there was no response, only the echoing of his voice through the hole. It was a large hole they passed by on the way to that brothel and suddenly when Ciel turn to his side, Sebastian was nowhere to be found. And his butler is already inside the deep hole drilled underground that could trap humans or animals if they’re not looking at their way. “This is an order, come out of there!”

“Young master” he heard Sebastian said with mild amusement in his tone. Ciel can’t help but be more intrigued what had happened more than finding a stray cat. “You should see this”

Ciel climbs down and the hole was a tunnel. There is darkness on both sides and seems longer than he thought. He looks around and saw Sebastian (who now turned himself to his human form) on the right side holding a fire on his hand, his back turned to Ciel.

“What is it?”

“Look” the fire on his finger expands and lighted the whole tunnel. In less than a second, they are surrounded by walls burning on fire with a clear sight of the tunnel.

The tunnel showed them a stock of human skeletons piled up on every side. Pressed altogether to minimize the space for future set of skeletons. It wasn’t a tunnel.

It was a human bones dumping site.

Even as a demon and a former queen’s watchdog who sees death for every life, seeing something like this is still breathtaking. Humans are indeed devious creatures.

“What do you think, young master?” Sebastian smirks. He ran his finger through the smooth fur of the brown kitten lying on his arms comfortably, indifferent that a thousands of former living humans are gathered here.  

“I think” said Ciel “something is surely fishy in here. Specially connected to the place we’re about to visit”

***

 

Lizzy wore her clothes, her long blonde hair hidden beneath her top hat while calculating the difference of a mission from _investigation_. Her first order from the queen is just to investigate a suspicious whorehouse where prostitutes gather. And of course, Lizzy had no idea what investigate even means putting into account that her majesty had told her that it wasn’t a mission. To be sure, she decided to infiltrate the brothel. It wasn’t a good idea, she thought. But the queen needs an information Scotland yard hadn’t acquired yet.

She fixed her necktie and smiles at her own reflection. Good thing that she has somehow an androgynous appearance, confident that she could at least easily fool anyone that she is a boy with girly appearance. After all, crossdressing is something Lizzie would like to do the least.

“Milady, are you ready?” Standing beside her door is Mey-rin with folded petticoat on her arm.

Elizabeth hid the poisoned needle inside her hat and smiles at Mey-rin “Of course. And for now…” Lizzie grabs the coat from Mey-rin and coolly slides it in between her arms “it’s Milord tonight, Mey-rin”

 

Elizabeth checked her reflection for the nth time on her maid’s pocket mirror.

“I look like a man, don’t I?”

“Keep calm, milord. You won’t be recognized” Paula tapped her nervous mistress again and fixes her top hat. “You look handsome, milord”

Elizabeth did look attractive for a boy. Actually, she looks like very much of Edward. When she stared at herself on the mirror, it was her brother she could see.

Tonight, she will disguise herself as a boy and live as Thomas Hudson for a couple of hours until the information she’ll gather is enough. Elizabeth reviewed in her head the identity she’s going to use again. _An earl with hypersexuality disorder. Characterized by having too much sexual desire thus solving his problem and satisfying his abnormal lust by going to a brothel and meeting lots of women._

Elizabeth sits patiently on her carriage. Her hands safely lying on her lap with her guards up. Who knows something might happen in this carriage. She grips her cane that she’ll use as a weapon later if things go wrong and the poisoned needle on her hat if it would come handy when killing is required. Yesterday, while riding her horse, Twilight, she recklessly followed a carriage while thinking that her fiancé that was dead for almost two years is alive. Until now, her thoughts were not still cleared.

‘That butler…’ Lizzy thought, reminiscing the time where she met the strange butler ‘It felt like I met him before…’

_Se-_

“Milord, we’re here” Elizabeth were cut off of her thoughts by the voice of her maid. Their carriage stopped in front of an old mansion.

“Is this it?” Although Lizzy doesn’t doubt Paula’s direction.

“Certainly, milord”

Elizabeth adjusts her top hat. Paula follows her behind as they go in the brothel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you can see, my previous work of this was deleted. I remade it but no much changes are made.


End file.
